Speaking 1 REASONS TO GO TRAVELLING

Travelling

1 Read this excerpt from a book called The Beach by Alex Garland. Why did the author go travelling?

A few years ago I was going through the process of splitting up with my first serious girlfriend. She went away to Greece for the summer and when she came back she'd had a holiday romance with some Belgian guy. As if that wasn't enough, it seemed that the guy in question was going to show up in London some time over the next few weeks. After three hellish days and nights, I realised that I was dangerously close to losing my head. I biked over to my dad's flat and emotionally blackmailed him into lending me enough cash to leave the country.

On that trip I learnt something very important. Escape through travel works. Almost from the moment I boarded my flight, life in England became meaningless. Seat-belt signs lit up, problems switched off. Broken armrests took precedence over broken hearts. By the time the plane was airborne I'd forgotten England even existed.

Notes to the text:

split up - end a relationship

show up - arrive

lose (your) head - go mad emotionally

blackmail -. use emotions to manipulate someone

take precedence over - become more important than

2 Work with a partner. Have you ever travelled for any of these reasons? Tell your partner.

To broaden your mind/horizons

To have a learning/cultural experience

To escape the crowd

To escape boredom

To run away from a broken heart

To learn a language

To live out your dreams

To meet new people

To do the sights of new cities

To get away from it all

To recharge your batteries and get a new lease of life

To forget about your busy schedule and let loose

To enjoy the nightlife of a megalopolis

To lie about by the pool

To taste and feel the nature

To taste and feel a new culture

Can you add any ideas of your own?

Are the reasons given above the same for city-dwellers and people who live in the country?

Prepare a mini-speech “Why I enjoy travelling”. Use expressions from the list. Learn the expressions!!!

Topical Vocabulary I

Topical Vocabulary in Contrast:

A voyage – морское путешествие e.g. He’s on a voyage.

- a journey – путешествие как дорога e.g. The journey to Moscow was quite unpleasant. I hate long journeys.

- A trip – путешествие, вся поездка в целом (с дорогой туда, пребыванием там и дорогой обратно) e.g. I met him on a trip to Paris. He’s just got back from his trip to Paris.

- A tour (of smth) – путешествие по чему-то e.g. I met him on a tour of Europe.

- Travel (unc) – путешествия в общем смысле e.g. He told us much about his travel.

- An excursion – экскурсия e.g. to go/be on an excursion

a view – вид из окна e.g. The view from my bedroom is wonderful. It looks out onto the garden.

- sight (s) – виды, достопримечательности e.g. He is doing (seeing) the sights.

- To go sightseeing

a fare – плата за проезд e.g. The bus fare is pretty high.

- a fee – входная плата, плата за обучение e.g. You will spend fortunes on entrance fees.

to miss (a train) – пропустить, опоздать на поезд e.g. I’ve missed my train!

- to catch (a train) – успеть на поезд

- to lose one’s way – заблудиться

- to find one’s way – найти дорогу

to book a hotel – забронировать отель

arrive (arrival) at the station, hotel

- arrive (arrival) in a village, country, city

- arrive_ home

- reach one’s destination

- getto one’s destination

live – жить

- to stay –останавливаться e.g. Where are you staying? - At my friends’. At the hotel.

Itinerary – маршрут, расписание, план поездки

Route – маршрут (дорога)

Phrasal Verbs

check in/out (book in at/out of) – e.g. I checked in at the hotel immediately after arrival. Check in, please.
get (go) away, get away from it all – e.g. When are you going away? I’m exhausted and want to get away from it all.
pick smb up – e.g. Pick me up on the way to work.
drop smb off – e.g. Drop me off on the way to work.
set out/off – e.g. We’re setting off at 7.

Patterns

- arrange smth/ to arrange for smb to do smth e.g.They arranged for me to go on a package tour.

- dream of/about (doing) smth e.g. I’ve always dreamt of visiting China.

- to be keen on smth/ to be keen to do smth e.g. I’m keen on swimming. I’m keen to get a driving license as soon as I can.

1. Explain the difference between the words:

- a voyage, trip, journey, travel, trip, tour

- A view, a sight

- A fare, a fee

- Live, stay

Remember!

Arrive at the station, airport, one’s destination

Arrive in a village, city, country

Enter _ the building

Reach one’s destination

Get to one’s destination

Check (book) in at/out of the hotel

To take off/to land (to touch down)

To see smb off (at the airport) – проводить (на самолет)

By_ bus, by_ train, by_ plane but! On the train, on the night bus, on a new plane

2. Translate from Russian into English:

Когда поезд прибыл (arrive) на станцию, на платформе ждала толпа репортеров.
Когда туристы приехали в город, шел страшный дождь, и они сразу поехали в отель.
Выписавшись из отеля (after doing smth), он позвонил другу, который хотел проводить его на поезд.
Я поеду поездом, потому что не хочу ехать ночным автобусом. По-моему, это опасно.
Я ненавижу длинные путешествия и поэтому никогда не поеду в Австралию. Сутки (24 hours) на самолете – это не для меня.
Поездка в Торонто прошла отлично – отель был чудесный, и с гидом нам повезло. Правда, дорога показалась мне (I found…) довольно утомительной.
Мы познакомились в поездке по Франции.
Мы познакомились во время поездки в Париж.
Плата за вход в этот музей просто удивительно высока! Это же безумие!
Плата за проезд в автобусеочень отличается в разных странах. В Англии это довольно дорого.

Sample Composition 1

An argument composition (a for and against essay)

Plan

Comment on the statement:

Write 200-250 words

Use the following plan:

- make an introduction (state the problem)

- give arguments for the statement (advantages of camping)

- give arguments for the other point of view i.e. against the statement (disadvantages of camping)

- draw a conclusion

Introduction

Many people nowadays tend to think that camping is the best way to travel around and have a holiday. Still, there are others who argue that it has more shortcomings than benefits. Let’s examine some of the reasons for such differences of attitude and opinion.

The body

Arguments for the statement:

There was a time when camping was considered to be a poor way of spending a holiday: a boy scout or a hard-up student would go for it but not a comfort-loving adult. However, more and more people these days are choosing camping as, first,the discomforts associated with it have vanished. Now we have comfortable tents and portable bungalows with bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and even a porch. Moreover, modern camping sites are equipped with hot and cold running water and even shops and dance floors.

Second, you enjoy absolute freedom as here you really are your own boss: you can go as you please, be out in the wilds, find the site off the beaten track and escape the crowd if you choose so, sleep under the stars and really feel in your element.

Third,you enjoy tremendous mobility. It is ideal for those who like being on the move. Besides, if you dislike the camping site, or if it is too crowded, you can always get up and go.

The last but not the least,the low cost really makes camping an attractive idea.

(On the one hand; the advantages/benefits of (camping) are enormous; on, first…second/third/last (finally); firstly/secondly…lastly; also/besides/moreover/furthermore…)

Arguments against the statement:

On the other hand,it is hard to argue that a camping holiday cannot be as comfortable as the one in the hotel. First,even the cheapest hotels provide meals and you do not have to cook. Besides, the diet of tinned food is boring and unhealthy. In addition,when camping,you have to carry a great number of things so packing and unpacking can become quite a problem. What is more, you have to drive long distances thus the journey tends to be quite tiring. And what about the rain, cold and mosquitoes? Finally, when camping, you do not pay much and do not get much – the living conditions are primitive and most camping sites are even more crowded than hotels.

(However, for every plus there is a minus/On the other hand, the opponents claim/maintain that the disadvantages are numerous; as for the disadvantages/drawbacks/shortcomings (of camping), they are as follows: firstly, secondly…lastly; first, second…last/finally/the last but not the least; moreover; furthermore; besides; also).

Conclusion:

On balance then, I would like to draw a conclusion. Although camping is inexpensive and can be attractive if you cannot afford to spend much and enjoy keeping on the move, I still believe that its shortcomings outweigh the benefits and if you really need to unwind and recharge your batteries, it is not an ideal way to spend your holiday.

(to sum up; in a nutshell; to make a long story short; advantages outweigh the disadvantages enormously; I still believe; from my point of view; in my opinion; to my mind)

Travelling

Speaking 1 REASONS TO GO TRAVELLING

1 Read this excerpt from a book called The Beach by Alex Garland. Why did the author go travelling?

Notes to the text:

split up - end a relationship

show up - arrive

lose (your) head - go mad emotionally

blackmail -. use emotions to manipulate someone

take precedence over - become more important than

2 Work with a partner. Have you ever travelled for any of these reasons? Tell your partner.